Off-Grid Solar System Advantages

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Whether to go off-grid for complete renewable energy or on-grid is something that more and more people are pondering. To be honest, they both have their advantages and disadvantages and one is better than the other for some people. There is no right or wrong way to choose whether you want an off-grid or on-grid system—it’s really just up to you.

To make things as simple as possible, we’re going to break down just why an off-grid solar system is beneficial. There are many advantages that come with an off-grid solar system and many people may not recognize it. To show you just how advantageous an off-grid solar system can be, we’re going to break down just what an off-grid system is and whether it can work for you and your house or not.

What Is an Off-Grid System?

To put it simply, an off-grid solar system is… off the grid. It offers renewable energy in the shape of solar panels, off-grid inverters, a charge controller and a battery bank. That means it’s not connected in any way to the electrical grid. Instead of relying on the shared electricity that many grid-tied houses share, an off-grid solar system stores energy in lead-acid batteries when the solar panels that normally power the house (through sunlight) aren’t generating enough for all of the household functions. This is very obvious at night. The batteries are the backup in an off-grid system, whereas, in a grid-tied system, the backup is the rest of the electrical grid.

Because an off-grid system is quite literally off the electrical grid, these types of systems are absolutely great for people who live in more rural areas. It can become incredibly expensive for people to try and connect to the electrical grid when they live so far away from others or the many electricity sources. Therefore, many people decide to go off-grid with their solar energy system.

Advantages

Stable through Power Outages

When you’re grid-tied, if there is a power outage, there’s nothing you can do about it but wait out the storm. If you have an off-grid solar power system, you won’t experience these blackouts. The energy is stored and ready for potential disasters so you’ll always have that added protection. When other’s experience these power outages, you’ll be fine.

This has become quite a big factor in recent years. From the many disastrous and sudden natural disasters that have rocked different parts of America, it’s always nice to have a backup that you know you can rely on. For example, in Puerto Rico, they’re rebuilding a lot of their electrical grid (and possibly even all) by using solar energy. This makes it almost impossible for natural disasters to bring about power outages, which was a huge problem during all of the natural disasters in the last few years.

Off-grid solar energy systems are as reliable as they come. By storing energy in batteries, you’re able to have a house that is powered at all times, whether it’s cloudy days or amid potential natural disasters.

Low Rates on a Month-to-Month Basis

One of the great incentives of going solar (either grid-tied or off-grid) is the fact that you’ll actually be saving money in the long run. Helping the environment and saving some money? Sounds like a home run, doesn’t it? The great thing about off-grid solar energy systems is the low monthly rates you’ll have to pay. On average, the monthly payments solar energy homeowners pay is about $84 a month. Note that this isn’t set in stone and can change regarding where you live, along with other important factors. However, this average seems to be able to represent all of America at this point.

Easy Alternative for Rural Areas

One annoying thing about going grid-tied is the hurdles you have to jump over to become connected to the grid, especially if you live in a more rural area. It can be incredibly costly to live in a rural area and try and connect to the main electrical grid in any way. But, of course, that’s where off-grid solar energy systems come in to play.

Because off-grid systems are literally off-grid, you won’t have to pay that extra money to connect to anything. You can really save money this way, especially if you’re quite far from other people or from the main electrical grid. An off-grid system gives you the freedom that is quite amazing. You’ll be able to produce and control your own power and you’ll be able to live just about anywhere you’d like. Looking to move to an even more rural area? Don’t worry about it—you’ll have your house powered and electricity running through the walls in no time.

Off-grid is just great for rural areas. You’re able to save money and have a stable electricity connection? That’s a great deal, really.

Keeping the Environment Clean and Green

Finally, one of the most important benefits of installing an off-grid solar energy system: you’re helping to keep the environment clean and green. Most people decide to go solar because of this reason and this reason alone (though the added incentives like the saving of money over time don’t hurt). The environment, it’s safe to say, needs all the help it can get. By using off-grid technology (and even grid-tied), you’re helping to make sure you don’t release or endorse companies that provide electricity through means of pollution and environmentally hazardous ways.

Off-grid solar energy systems have many great advantages and benefits. From powering your house, even if you live in a rural area, to helping to keep the environment clean and green, it’s hard to disagree with these great perks. Whether you’re looking for ways to save money and want a smaller monthly payment, or if you’re just looking for a way to help the environment, off-grid solar energy systems are great alternatives to people who want to go solar, but don’t want (or can’t) go grid-tied.

From these advantages and benefits, it’s easy to see why so many people have decided to use an off-grid solar energy system to power their house. It’s affordable, efficient, and worth all of the installation time—trust us.